Thursday, May 24, 2012

Poll: Florida Voters Support 'Stand Your Ground' Law

ORLANDO, Florida -- A majority of registered voters, 56 to 35 percent, support the Florida's “Stand Your Ground” law that has come under
recent scrutiny according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. Support is 78 – 15 percent among Republicans
and 58 – 35 percent among independent
voters while Democrats are opposed 59 – 32 percent. Men support “Stand Your Ground” 65 – 31
percent while women support it 48 – 39 percent.
Support is 61 – 31 percent among white voters and 53 – 36 percent among
Hispanic voters while black voters are opposed 56 – 30 percent.

The Trayvon Martin shooting in Sanford, Florida has
brought the issue of gun control and the state’s “Stand Your Ground” law into
the public eye.

“Despite the controversy, public
opinion seems to be solidly behind ‘Stand Your Ground’ and slightly against
stricter gun control,” said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the
Quinnipiac University Polling
Institute.

On one area there was support for
more gun control. By 83 – 14 percent,
voters don’t think even people with concealed weapons permits should be allowed
to bring a gun into the State Capitol in Tallahassee, Florida.

From
May 15 – 21, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,722 registered voters with a
margin of error of +/- 2.4 percentage points.
Live interviewers call land lines and cell phones. The survey includes 742 Republicans with a
margin of error of +/- 3.6 percentage points.

The
Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts
public opinion surveys in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut,
Florida, Ohio, Virginia and the nation as a public service and for
research.